


Hidden Behind A Mask

by heartpanorama



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-20
Updated: 2016-04-20
Packaged: 2018-08-19 21:19:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8225095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heartpanorama/pseuds/heartpanorama
Summary: Marinette and Adrien are classmates. They’re both secretly cosplaying and meet at a convention, but none of them knows the other’s real identity. Alya figures out the love square.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this for my friend Maxi’s birthday. :) This is my first try ever at an AU, but I had lots of fun starting this Cosplay AU here. The drabble has an open ending; I might or might not write a sequel, but I won’t promise anything.

“Come on, Marinette,” Alya was pleading her best friend on their way to the classroom on a Monday morning, “you need to tell me the details! How am I supposed to write a blog entry about the weekend, if you won’t talk about it?”

On the weekend, Marinette had been to a convention where she cosplayed as Ladybug, a very popular fictional character at the time. Marinette had become one of the favorite Ladybug cosplayers in the fandom over the past few months and Alya even started blogging about her. Whenever she got the chance, Alya would guide Marinette to the different conventions she went to. But this time, she had to help out her mother in their restaurant and was now dependent on her friend’s descriptions in order to post something on the “Ladyblog”.

It was especially interesting this time because Marinette had met the most popular Chat Noir cosplayer in their area. Alya wanted to know all about it, but Marinette acted as if it was no big deal. In reality, she felt sort of uneasy about the incident this weekend. It wasn’t that Chat Noir was rude to her or anything, but he seemed to be very fond of her immediately and Marinette didn’t know what to make of that. After all, the two of them had only just met and she wanted to keep her real identity secret at all costs. She didn’t want her classmates to laugh at her interests or at what she was doing in her free time, especially not Chloé, the spoiled daughter of the mayor, who behaved as if the world belonged to her. Also, she was afraid of what Adrien would think of her – the boy who joined their class at the beginning of the school year and who had captured her heart over time. Marinette didn’t want him to think she was a freak or something.

“Calm down, Alya,” Marinette reassured her best friend, “I’ll tell you everything, eventually. But please wait until school is over; I can’t talk about it here…”

* * *

Meanwhile, Adrien and Nino made their way to the classroom, too. Nino was fascinated by what Adrien had to tell him about the weekend.

“Dude, that’s so cool,” Nino exclaimed, “you really met THE Ladybug?”

“Yes, I did. I can’t even put into words how wonderful she is,” Adrien told his friend, still overwhelmed from his encounter this weekend.

Aside from his father, who clearly disapproves of his son’s pastime, Nino was the only one who knew about Adrien’s occasional cosplays as Chat Noir. Much to Gabriel Agreste’s dismay, Adrien has become quite a popular figure in the cosplaying community. In order to not put his father’s fashion brand at risk, Adrien promised him to keep his identity secret, so no one would ever affiliate the reputable designer Gabriel Agreste with some “silly dress up”, as Gabriel tended to call it.

“Hey bro,” Nino suggested, “how about you arrange another meeting with LB? I’ve heard she lives in Paris’ surroundings, too. Ask her out or something and get to know her?”

Adrien looked at him, appalled. “Nino, you know my father would never allow me to reveal to a stranger that I’m cosplaying as Chat Noir, especially not if we’re talking about the most famous Ladybug cosplayer in the fandom,” he explained to his friend, “but thanks for the encouragement.”

“Don’t worry, dude,” Nino said, “we’ll work something out. I think I already have an idea. Leave it to me.”

“Don’t get me into trouble, Nino,” Adrien warned him.

“I won’t. I promise,” his friend grinned at him.

* * *

At home, Adrien sat on his bed with his cat on his lap. Stroking his soft fur, he was thinking aloud, “What do you think, Plagg? Should I follow Nino’s advice and ask Ladybug for a meeting?”

Adrien’s cat, Plagg, looked up at the boy, eying him as if he understood what Adrien was saying.

“I don’t even know who she really is,” Adrien sighed, “all I know is that she’s amazing. I admired her even before we met, but now that I got a glimpse at her personality… I really want to get to know her better…”

He trailed off, lost in his thoughts, until Plagg meowed pleadingly. “Yeah, yeah, I know you’re hungry,” Adrien told his cat and went to feed him.

* * *

Marinette and Alya spent their afternoon at the park. After all, Marinette had to fill her in on what happened at the convention and give her the pictures she took over the weekend.

“Woah, the two of you look gorgeous together,” Alya was delighted by the close-ups of Ladybug and Chat Noir, “I’ve never seen that good pictures of THE Chat Noir cosplayer before. And you have no idea who he is? I mean, what if we actually know him in everyday life??”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t ask him about it. But you know I don’t really want people to know who I am either, so I guess it’s fine,” Marinette replied.

Alya was looking closely at the pictures her friend had printed out for her earlier. Marinette was wondering how Alya could see anything with the picture held so close to her face.

“What exactly are you trying to do?” Marinette giggled at her friend’s ridiculousness.

“Duh, I wanna see if I recognize him from somewhere,” Alya said, “wait a sec!”

“What?” Marinette asked, suddenly worried.

“He reminds me of someone…,” Alya mumbled, “that can’t possibly be…”

“What’s wrong?” Marinette urged her to explain what she just seemed to have realized.

“Adrien Agreste!” Alya burst into laughter.

“What? No!” Marinette pulled the picture out of her friend’s hands and scrutinized Chat Noir’s image, too. “I have no idea how you would ever think Adrien is Chat Noir. I mean, just look at the pictures. And he behaves completely different… If you had met him in person… No, that can’t be Adrien…,” Marinette tried to defend her crush. Adrien wouldn’t woo a complete stranger like Chat Noir did with her this weekend. At least, that was her impression of Chat Noir. At the beginning, she thought he was only joking and imitating the character from the TV show, but after two days, she came to the conclusion that there was more to it. Still, she didn’t want to risk him getting any closer and finding out about her identity.

“Girl, chill,” Alya chuckled when she saw Marinette’s shocked facial expression, “I was just kidding. I wanted to see how you would react, but jeez, calm down.”

* * *

The truth was: Alya knew… Nino was talking to her earlier that day because he knew she was hosting the Ladyblog. He didn’t know Marinette was the popular Ladybug cosplayer though. However, he wanted Alya to contact Ladybug and arrange a meeting with Chat Noir. Nino didn’t tell her who Chat Noir was, but the fact that he knew him made her assume it was one of his friends. And judging from the looks, it could only be Adrien. Alya wasn’t really surprised. She understood quickly why Adrien would keep this a secret. Of course, he wouldn’t put his father’s reputation at risk with his cosplays. Knowing about Marinette’s unwavering crush for Adrien, Alya saw this as THE opportunity to finally get these dorks together. All she needed was a plan!


End file.
